Smart Regional Centre Strategy

The Rockhampton Region is one step closer to becoming Australia’s first Smart Regional Centre after Council unanimously endorsed a strategy to better use technology in the region on 8 December 2015.

Smart City technologies have been used around the world to assist governments and businesses to make better, targeted decisions.

Initiatives include free Wi-Fi in designated public spaces, a new digital museum which will display information on smart phones as tourists travel around the region, a new mechanism for locals and tourists to know what’s happening in the Region, a number of new smart CCTV cameras in known trouble areas, smart billboards, a Smart Hub on the riverfront, as well as releasing Council’s data for public use. This may include data such as water treatment and traffic information, no personal information will be released.

Rockhampton is amongst the first Australian cities to focus on the use of these technologies to grow the economy and improve liveability of the area.

The initiatives included in the plan are expected to directly create at least 288 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs, including 95 direct jobs and 193 flow-on jobs. They are also expected to help grow local business, increase public safety, grow the population of the region and increase the use of underutilised areas.